Vietnam needs to handle new challenges thrown up by the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry in the new year, experts have said. “The most significant new element in the U.S.-China competition in the Indo-Pacific is the tightening of the multipolar system,” Carlyle Thayer, emeritus professor, University of New South Wales Canberra at …
Read More »Japan to maintain most border restrictions until end of February
Japan will maintain the tight entry restrictions it put in place to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus until the end of February, its prime minister said on Tuesday, though some exceptions for humanitarian issues may be considered. The country adopted some of the strictest border …
Read More »India to allow in imports of US pork and products, US officials say
India has agreed to allow imports of U.S. pork and pork products into India, removing a longstanding barrier to U.S. agricultural trade, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Monday. “India’s agreement to allow U.S. pork imports for the first time is great news for …
Read More »Vietnam records 14,783 new Covid cases
The Health Ministry confirmed 14,783 new local Covid-19 cases Monday, down 8,370 cases from the previous day, pushing the ongoing wave’s tally to nearly 1.9 million. The three localities with the highest number of new cases were Hanoi with 2,830 cases, Khanh Hoa with 795 cases, and Binh Phuoc with …
Read More »Plane hit by train after crashing on train tracks in California
Police in Los Angeles, California, pulled the pilot from a crash-landed Cessna seconds before the aircraft was hit by a train on Sunday, sending debris flying in all directions. Dramatic video obtained by Reuters shows several officers freeing the man from the downed plane, which had crashed shortly after takeoff …
Read More »Tennis star Djokovic wins court battle to stay in Australia
World number one Novak Djokovic was released from Australian immigration detention on Monday after winning a court challenge to revive his bid to win a record 21st Grand Slam title at the upcoming Australian Open. Judge Anthony Kelly ruled the federal government’s decision last week to revoke the tennis star’s …
Read More »China’s Tianjin tightens control over travel after Omicron cases
The northern Chinese city of Tianjin tightened exit controls and is requiring residents to obtain approval from employers or community authorities before leaving town in an effort to block the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. The port city to the southeast of Beijing reported 21 domestically transmitted cases …
Read More »Virgin Australia to cut capacity by 25 pct as Covid-19 cases rise
Virgin Australia said on Monday it would reduce capacity across its network by around 25% for the rest of January and for February due to reduced travel demand and staff being required to isolate as COVID-19 case numbers rise in Australia. The airline, which competes against Qantas Airways Ltd, said …
Read More »Australian judge offers glimmer of hope for Djokovic as he fights deportation
An Australian judge demanded Monday to know what more Novak Djokovic could have done to meet the country’s strict pandemic entry requirements, offering a glimmer of hope to the detained tennis superstar as he fights deportation. The 34-year-old world number one arrived in Melbourne last week ahead of the Australian …
Read More »Hanoi police find 100 ‘critically endangered’ turtles hidden in car
Police in Hanoi’s Bac Tu Liem District have arrested a woman who had 100 critically endangered turtles belonging to several species hidden in her car. They found the animals in the trunk of the car in front of an apartment building in Phu Dien Ward last Sunday. They identified them …
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